Chris Buckley
The New York Times
January 11, 2014
Fire blazed through an ancient Tibetan neighborhood in southwest China on Saturday, destroying hundreds of wooden homes and shops that have drawn tourists to an area casting itself as the inspiration for mythic Shangri-La.
Chinese television news said the fire in Dukezong in Shangri-La County, Yunnan Province, broke out in the early hours, and hundreds of fire fighters, soldiers and volunteers had largely extinguished the blaze by late morning. There were no deaths or serious injuries reported, initially at least, according to local officials. Yet even without casualties, the fire will deal a heavy blow to a community that has sought to protect its traditions while attracting growing crowds.
Dukezong is an ancient Tibetan neighborhood of two- and three-story wooden buildings on narrow, cobble-stoned streets. With about 5,000 permanent residents, it lies on the edge of a modern town dominated by Han Chinese residents and drab modern buildings.
“After the fire broke out, even though many rushed to help at the first instant, the dry conditions and the speed of the blaze allowed it to spread rapidly in all directions,” said a report on the news website of the Yunnan government, citing officials in the county.
The fire destroyed 242 houses — almost a quarter of the 1,084 houses in the old town — according to Xinhua, the state-run news agency. Chinese news websites and social media services showed the fire tearing through the area, flames reaching into the sky, and an aftermath of smoky ruins and collapsed homes. An initial investigation ruled out arson and traced the start of the blaze to a budget travelers’ lodge, but did not identify the cause of the fire, Xinhua said.
Jeff Fuchs, a writer and trekking guide who has a home in the ancient neighborhood, said by email that he was away from the area now but feared his home had been destroyed.
“Just devastating damage to structures,” Mr. Fuchs wrote. “My home is finished, I think, and because of the wooden structures, the place went up in no time.”
Shangri-La County lies in a corner of Yunnan near the official Tibetan Autonomous Region. Previously called Zhongdian, it adopted the new name in 2001, claiming to be an inspiration for the paradise featured in James Hilton’s novel, “Lost Horizon.” (Several other Tibetan parts of China have jostled to claim the same.)
In recent years, growing numbers of Chinese and foreign tourists have traveled to the Shangri-La area. But numbers are typically down in January, when the area, which is more than 9,800 feet above sea level, can be bitingly cold. Officials were still investigating the cause of the fire, the Yunnan government’s news website said.
Tibetan parts of China have experienced volatile tensions in recent years, and many Tibetans resent the presence and economic dominance of Han Chinese. But around Shangri-La, Tibetans, Han Chinese and other ethnic groups have long lived close to one another, and the tensions have been less acute than in other parts of China.
